Artificial leg.



E. W. BABCOCK.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLICATION man JAM. 24, |915.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

@14mm/vbo@ E'. Iii/ Baba@ ck UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELISHA w. BABcocK, or LORAIN, omo, AssIGNoR or ONE-HALF rro JOHN n.KITCHEN, or LORAIN, OHIO.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed J' anuary 24, 1916. Serial No. 73,961.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELisi-ra WV. Raccoon, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lorain, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to artificial limbs, and more particularly to theconstruction of the foot.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an artificial footof simple and practical construction, which will allow an easy smoothankle-joint and also toe movement, and therefore be comfortable for thewearer. The foot consists of an inner member forming the lower portionof the leg, which inner member is inclosed by an outer member pivoted tothe forward end thereof while its rear portion is resiliently supported;and a toe piece is resiliently connected to said inner and outermembers.

Another object of the invention is to so design the foot that, theresiliency of the ankle-joint may be quickly set or changed to mostsuitably support the weight of the wearer.

lith the above and other objects in view as will be readily understood,the invention will be hereinafter fully described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which simply illustrate the same, and the novelfeatures thereof will be distinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts.

Figure l is a sectional view of an artificial foot constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken online 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View taken on line8-" of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents I the lower portion of a leg,which may be attached to a wearer in any suitable manner. This leg ispreferably constructed of aluminum, is hollow, and formed integraltherewith is a foot member 2. The forward portion 3 of the foot memberis solid, while the rear portion is hollowed out, as shown at 4l. Saidfoot member fits within a hollow foot member 5, which consists of a heelportion 6 and a rounding forward end 7. The forward end of the innerfoot member 2 is bifurcated, as at S, and the rounding end 7 of theouter foot member 5 is provided with a slot 9 opposite the same, forreceiving a lug 10 of a toe-piece 11. A pin 12, passing through thethickened walls 13 of the outer foot member, through the sides 14 of theinner foot member' and through the lug 10 of the toe-piece, securesthese parts together and also serves as a pivot to permit movement ofsaid foot members and said toe-piece. It will be observed that saidtoepiece is cut out at each side of its lug 10, as indicated at 15, tocorrespond with the rounding end 7 of the foot 5, which gives a closedjoint at this point for full action of the foot. The toe-piece 11 isheld in normal position by means of a suitable flat spring 1G, whichengages the bottom of the outer foot member 5 and the bottom of a recess17 in the toe-piece.

The weight of the wearer is resiliently supported upon a suitable coiledspring 18, which is arranged in the rear hollowed out portion et of theinner foot member=2, and is interposed between the heel 6 of the outerfoot member 5 and a bar 19 extending from the forward to the rear wallof the leg. In order to provide convenient means for placing said coiledspring in position, and also to provide means for readily adjusting thetension thereof to suit the weight of the wearer, the followingconstruction is employed. The heel of the outer foot member is providedwith an opening 20, from which projects an internally threaded boss 21for receiving a tubular plug 22. Said coiled spring rests within thistubular plug, and its upper end is held in alinement therewith by meansof a centering boss 23 depending from the before mentioned bar 19. Saidtubulaiplug is screwed into or out of the internally threaded boss 21 bythe use of any suitable tool which may be inserted in the holes 24. Theinclination and upward movement of the inner foot member 2 with relationto the outer foot member 5 is controlled by means of a set screw 25,which is suitably arranged in said inner foot member and is adapted toengage the upper wall of the outer foot member. It will be noted thatthe tension of the coiled spring 18 may be increased or diminished byturning said set screw, and for convenience, an aperture 26 is providedin the bottom of the outer foot member to receive a screw driver forturning the same. The rear part of the outer foot member 5 is cut downat 27 to allow clearance for the action of the inner foot member 2, anda suitable protecting shield 28 is provided at the opening of the outerfoot member.

From the above description and the accompanying drawings, it will beobvious that an artificial leg constructed in this manner will give thewearer an easy, smooth and comfortable walking action very much similarto that of the natural limb. Also that the elasticity of the movementmay be conveniently and quickly altered to meet the desires of thewearer.

It will be understood that slight changes in the formand arrangement ofthe parts may be made so long as they are within the scope of theclaims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In an artificial limb, the combination with a leg portion having aninner foot member, of' an outer foot member, the inner foot memberhaving one end pivotally connected to the forward end of the outer footmember, and means for resiliently supporting the other end of the innerfoot member from the outer foot member, substantially as described.

2. In an artificial limb, the combination with a leg portion having aninner foot member, of' an outer foot member, the inner foot memberhaving one end pivotally connected to the outer foot member', a springinterposed between the outer foot member and the free end of the innerfoot member, and means for changing the tension of the spring,substantially as described.

3. In an artificial limb, the combination with a leg portion having aninner foot member, of an outer foot member, the inner foot member havingone end pivotally connected to the outer foot member, a springinterposed between the outer foot member and the free end of the innerfoot member,

and adjustable means for controlling the relative upward movement of theinner foot member to the outer foot member, subi-l stantially asdescribed.

1I. In an artificial limb, the combinationl member, of an outer footmember, a toe piece, a pin pivotally connecting the inner foot member,the outer foot member and the toe piece, a spring for keeping the toepiece in normal position, and means for resiliently supporting the freeend of the inner foot member from the outer foot member, substantiallyas described.

G. In an artiiicial limb, the combination with a leg portion having aninner foot member, of a. hollow outer foot member, the inner foot memberarranged in the outer foot member and having its forward end pivotallyconnected thereto, the rear portion` of said outer foot member beingprovided with an opening, a hollow boss projecting from the opening, theopening and the hollow boss being threaded, a tubular plug screwed intosaid threaded opening and boss, and a coiled spring resting in saidtubular plug and resiliently Vsupporting said inner foot member,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ELISIIA IV. BABCOCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

